The Nigerian Senate has advanced a landmark Bill aimed at creating Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD) Research and Therapy Centres across the country, following its successful second reading on Wednesday.
The Bill was sponsored by Senator Katung Marshall (Kaduna South), and it proposes the establishment of specialized centres dedicated to the research, diagnosis, and treatment of sickle cell disease in each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The Bill also contains detailed provisions for the administration and operation of these centres.
Senator Marshall, in his presentation, highlighted the severity of SCD in Nigeria, noting that the country remains the epicentre of the disease in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Nigeria accounts for roughly half of the 300,000 babies born worldwide with sickle cell disorder each year,” he explained.
“With over 650 children dying daily from SCD-related complications, many of whom do not survive past the age of five, the need for this legislation has never been more urgent.”
The proposed Bill has garnered widespread support from lawmakers, who emphasized the critical need for a structured response to the high mortality and complications associated with the disease.
Senators pointed to the inadequacies in the current healthcare infrastructure for managing sickle cell disorder, including the lack of specialized treatment facilities and the ineffective implementation of existing diagnostic tools.
Senators Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central), Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), and Isa Jibril (Kogi West) expressed strong backing for the Bill, underscoring the potential of the research and therapy centres to alleviate the suffering of millions of Nigerians living with sickle cell disorder.
“The establishment of these centres will be a game-changer,” said Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan. “It will provide the much-needed care and treatment that millions of Nigerians are currently deprived of.”
The Bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Health for further deliberation and is expected to be reviewed within the next four weeks.
The proposed legislation outlines 27 clauses covering various aspects of the centres’ operation, including the establishment of a Board of Management, staffing structures
